Focus training for athletes

Choose a task, not a feeling

“Concentrate harder” does not tell you where to put your attention. Choose something you can describe: your ready position before a return, the open passing option or a technical detail your swimming coach has asked you to practice.

Keep the task narrow enough to rehearse in one drill. If your cue tries to cover every part of your technique, shorten it to the single action that matters in this exercise. Your coach can help you choose the right target.

Make your cue specific to your sport

• Tennis: before the return, use “Ready” to remind yourself of your agreed ready position.
• Basketball: in a passing drill, use “See the option” to remind yourself to look for an available teammate.
• Swimming: before a practice repeat, use a short cue for one technical action your coach has selected.

Try a short focus rep

First, name the drill and the action you want to practice. Next, choose a phrase that reminds you of that action. Picture the start of the drill, say the cue, and picture carrying out the action. Finally, decide when you will use it during the session.

For example: “On the next return drill, I will use ‘Ready’ before the serve and get into my ready position.” That is a practice plan you can recognize afterward. “I will have perfect focus all session” gives you a much less concrete target.

Practice coming back

If your attention goes to the score, a previous error or what another athlete is doing, notice it and return to your chosen action. The exercise is to practice that return. You do not have to turn a distraction into a judgment about yourself.

When the distraction follows a mistake, use the linked reset exercise: name the moment, choose your controllable, pick your cue and rehearse your next response. Keep the cue consistent with the task you are practicing.

Review one real example

After the session, write one sentence about when you used the cue and what you did. If you cannot remember using it, choose a clearer trigger for next time, such as the beginning of each drill. Share the example with your coach if you want help refining the cue.

Reset offers short mental reps and guided practice for the moments around sport. Begin with the interactive homepage preview, then carry your chosen cue into a real session. Count the practice you completed and note how you used it, rather than treating a completion count as a measure of concentration.